Single dad's house damaged by fire, broken into by thieves

DETROIT (WJBK) - A single father of three was working overtime to make ends meet after losing his home in a fire.

After the blaze, he boarded up the house but thieves broke in and stole what few possessions the family had left.

"It's just depressing, you know," said Calvin Phillips. "It's just hard to even describe how I feel you know, it's just hard."

Phillips is a struggling single father and was already working hard for his three kids to enjoy Christmas, but on Thursday their house caught fire. What caused it is still unknown.

"Everything I worked for is basically gone," he said. "But thank God, my kids and I are OK."

After the fire Phillips boarded up his house and took the kids to stay with his sister, but when he returned to get some of their things and what he found made his heart sink.

"Someone broke in there and stole the little things that we had left, and stole the furnace," he said.

Phillips said he even saw the thieves pulling out of the driveway and he feels he is at an all-time low.

"It just gives you a blank feeling, like what happened to humanity," he said. "People have no hearts anymore. It's just terrible, who would do something to someone who's already going through tragedy? And then just make it worse?"

The family doesn't have insurance. Now Phillips is working extra hours before Christmas, for his children, ages 16, 15, and 4.

"They are doing well in school," he said. "They're not bad kids. Although his oldest daughter has changed her mind on what she wants.

"She had said everything, like 'Dad I want a phone, I want this I want that,' now she says she just wants a home," he said.

Calvin feels like giving up, but believes where there's a will there's a way.

"I just got to get out here and do what I have to do to get back on my feet," he said. "I have to do it for my kids."